Should I give these up?!

karissastephens

okay.....so....im in a RUT....

I feel so weak (psychologically speaking)...im so frustrated with myself! I can not stop eating sugar and carbs!! Its literally the worst!

My issue is Ill eat healthy foods and proteins like chicken and salads etc...but I STILL have killer cravings for chocolate, cookies, or bread....I hate is soooo much!!

I have contemplated just not eating any kind of bread, pasta, chocolate, or anything sugary but I seriously become the biggest ***** ever if i do not get my fix...its becoming ridiculous...

Im not sure what to do anymore..should I just not eat anything bready or consisting of sugar and just be a snobby monster for a month until I do not crave them any longer??

Warmbloodwear

Its hard but what has helped me is moderation and not telling myself no just not to eat as much. I have found if I just give them up I am mean and then I binge really bad...Just try to find a healthier version dark chocolate instead of milk chocolate...It sucks but so does going cold turkey...Stay strong..It's worth it

amuhlou

in my opinion, completely cutting out those items is not the way to go. Being restrictive like that just sets you up for failure because you're frustrated that you can't have things you enjoy.

I'm a chocoholic and I've basically made a sweet treat my reward for the end of the day -- if I am good and have 50 spare calories, I let myself have a Snackwell's Devil's Food cookie cake. I get my sugary fix and it's totally controlled. It's something for me to look forward to and work toward.

with a little planning you can make room for the carbs and sweets you like once in a while

hippo_hips

switch to dark chocolate? antioxidants!
also, you should use the splenda made for baking to make desserts, cutting down your sugar.

NeuroticVirgo

in my opinion, completely cutting out those items is not the way to go. Being restrictive like that just sets you up for failure because you're frustrated that you can't have things you enjoy.

I'm a chocoholic and I've basically made a sweet treat my reward for the end of the day -- if I am good and have 50 spare calories, I let myself have a Snackwell's Devil's Food cookie cake. I get my sugary fix and it's totally controlled. It's something for me to look forward to and work toward.

with a little planning you can make room for the carbs and sweets you like once in a while

Well said.

KellieR56

don't give them up. if you want chocolate, go ahead and eat it. However, if you...work it off.
I'm doing my dieting and exercising my own way and it's working. I already lost 4 pounds and I just started last month (granted I caved in the first week). But seriously....if you have a craving, give in....just make sure you don't go over on calories and fat. And sugar of course...
but bread and pasta on the other hand....eat it in moderation. I haven't had a piece of bread in a week (would have been 2 but I had Subway ><) haha. but once you get used to not eating those things, it'll be SO easy!

hippo_hips

OH ALSO, I get my chocolatey fix with Jell-o's sugar free chocolate pudding. SO GOOD.

NeuroticVirgo

Moderation helps me a lot. And splitting food makes it so much easier for me.... I'll wait till I have someone with me (like a friend, husband, daughter etc)....buy a Hershey bar (210 calories) but then break it in half and give away one half. (only 105 now)...and then savor every bite! I like getting the pure Hershey bar when I need a chocolate fix because its feels more satisfying that a cookie or something.

Losing2Live69

I use to be a huge carboholic! This is what I did...I switched from white bread, to wheat bread, to no sugar added wheat bread, to Ezekiel bread (less carbs, more protein), I limit myself to 2 slices a day. I also use "flat out healthy grain flat bread" instead of pizza dough or flour tortillas. With pasta, I think it's all about portion control. I mean, if you think about how much pasta a person usually puts on their plate for a serving, it probably would equal about 6 servings. A serving is half a cup. I switched to whole wheat pasta, also, look for enriched pastas that have more fiber and protein in it. Rice...well, I just had to cut that out all together! It is so full of carbs its ridiculous. I am diabetic, so it was super important for me to cut out the carbs. I have eliminated refined sugar. Try honey, agave nectar, or Stevia. You can do this! I use to literally dream of pasta, I'm not kidding. I hope this helps.

Hang in there,

Angela

NoAdditives

I gave up sugar almost 2 months ago and I don't miss it. I'm to the point where I can have a piece of chocolate or a cupcake or whatever and I'll enjoy it but I don't want more. The way I was able to give it up was to make myself wait. I'd wait until after lunch to have the first piece. Then I'd wait until after dinner. After just a few days of saving that chocolate for after dinner I realized I no longer needed it. It wasn't the easiest thing to do at first, but it was definitely worth it!

As far as grains go, it's hard to avoid them completely. I suggest you stop eating pasta, but still have a little bread. Whole grains are good for and your brain runs exclusively on carbs, so you do need them. Just limit yourself to no more than 2 pieces a day (with a sandwich is easiest).

Amyeeeeeee

I am a pasta phene and I eat it atleast once a day. I love it so and so I have started eating whole wheat pasta and Ive been eating whole wheat breads for years... You have to tell yourself its okay in moderation and keep talking with ppl here for support.

neuroticalme

The brain runs mainly on glucose. Sugar and carbs are not evil. Everything in moderation. What you need to watch is intake of simple and processed sugars. Sugars and carbs that are paired with fiber and vitamins are very good for you.

And on the simple and processed sugars, you should still treat yourself. It's better to eat a treat-type food in moderation than stress yourself out eating around it. Be happy. Eat Food. Mostly Vegetables. That is all.

Mii_2_B

switch to dark chocolate? antioxidants!
also, you should use the splenda made for baking to make desserts, cutting down your sugar.

No don't use Splenda. It's made with bleach. Horrible artificial sweetener. Causes all sorts of intestinal upsets. Steevia, sun crystals, or truvia are natural sweeteners.

I eat up to 3 dark chocolate Hersey kisses a day, and sometimes will add semisweet choc. chips to my cereal for breakfast. NEVER cut out carbs, your body needs them. Eat healthy carbs like oatmeal, whole grains, wild rice, etc.
At least one serving a day.

You could still loose weight eating nothing but cheesecake, if you counted your calories for it. You'll feel like crap, but you can. Never restrict yourself or eat out of a 100 calorie snack bag, because that is not a realistic, long term way to eat!

Karibefit

Try non-fat chocolate pudding with fresh strawberries and light whip for your chocolate cravings. It's so good and not that evil of a treat. I also like those Skinny Cow ice cream sandwiches... YUM!

BTW, I love chocolate too and I am having a hard time as well!

Good luck,

Kari :flowerforyou:

BOGmama2010

I get my chocolate fix from Shakeology, every day. The beginning of the year, I decided to quit eating wheat and gluten as well. It's taken me a long time to get to the point, but I just wasn't eating it much anymore. I haven't missed it and feel a lot better without it. I still have some grains a couple of times a week and get plenty of carbs through veggies and fruit. You have to find what works for you, but if you think it's something that might benefit you to quit eating, try going without it for 2 weeks and see how you feel.

mgodby86

Cutting out/down on carbs in my opinion, is a big no-no - especially if you are exercising. I would reccomend reading the book "Eat Your Way to Happiness" by Elizabeth Somer. This book focuses (as its title suggests) on foods relationship to your mood/cravings. She also has another book called Food & Mood. I tried summarizing some of the carb info - but it was just too long.

In short, your body needs carbohydrates - just make sure you are choosing the right ones. Choose whole grains and avoid added sugar as much as you can. However, I have found that it is best not to make any food "off limits." If you allow yourself treats, you will be less tempted to binge. Believe it or not, I used to drink up to 3 sodas a day!! This was over a year ago, and the thought disgusts me. I thought I would never be able to stop. I cut back gradually and limited myself to one once a day. Eventually, I found I could go a few days without one. Now? I go for many months at a time! I still allow myself the occasional Coke though.

If you DO go overboard, just remember that you can start right back up again! Cutting out added sugar is hard - I am struggling with it as well. But if you eat the right things most of the time - that is half the battle! I would also second dark chocolate - buy the best quality you can afford. I like the individually wrapped squares because they stop me from eating the whole bar!

Check out this link (it's a PDF file): nutrition.mednet.ucla.edu/.../Carbohydrates_are_Good_for_U.pdf

jcolbrook

What's worked for me is deciding what is a good food plan that will work for me and try to follow it the best I can. I wasn't perfect for the first month and I'm still not. I SLOWLY started to change my habits - switching from regular pasta to whole wheat one week, trying a chocolate calcium chewy that you can substitute for a piece of chocolate maybe. If you need the sugar treat or fix, there are alot of good suggestions here until it feels more comfortable to you.

2 slices of whole wheat bread or equivalent is on my daily plan. For me, my sugar cravings turned out to be my body's way of compensating for a thyroid problem. I've heard other people talk about the body compensating for not enough sleep, uneven eating throughout the day or even being anemic. Trying to eat every 2-3 hours was so effective for keeping my energy high all day that sometimes I can't finish everything that's on my food plan.

Try not to judge yourself for having a sweet or not being perfect. It's about "better" eating not perfect eating. Remember a pound of fat is 3,600 calories. A piece of chocolate is only 50-100.

MzBug

I have cut down on the carbs, but I haven't cut them out! I found that if I start the day with oatmeal I don't crave the bread and pasta. Most days I will have a sandwich thin or some of the no sugar wheat bread later in the day. I also will have some sort of sweetish item as my snack in the evening.... yogurt and fresh berries or a Skinny Cow ice cream bar usually. I know from past experience that I get very moody and b!tchy when I cut my carbs too low.

dr1981

hahaha I'm have the same problem. I just ate a crap ton of cookies a little while ago too!! mmmmmm!! damn sweet tooth!!

ValMae

I have the same temptations for sugary sweet foods and have found a way to let myself have a little without feeling terrible about it. Using a sugar substitute and homemaking my sweets, I am able to reduce the calories in my sweets dramatically but still feel like I am letting myself get my sweet-tooth fix. I love making sugar free apple pies and such. The majority of the calories then come from carbs and fat but fat content can be lowered by substituting applesauce for butter in recipes for brownies and other "bready" sweets. They taste GREAT and don't make me feel too guilty!

carrie340

You can have little treats, just don't go crazy!


Created by MyFitnessPal.com - Free Calorie Counter

tatiana_13

Hmmm...I feel like yoda saying this but...I think only you can answer this question. I stay away from breads and sugar, but not because some one told me to, but because I feel better when I don't eat them. If you feel crabby and miserable when you avoid them, then maybe cutting them out isn't for you. Other people say bread makes them feel good. I'm gluten intolerant...so bread doesn't make me feel good. But potatoes make me feel wonderful. Sugar does makes other things taste good, so I eat it in very small quantities occasionally, but also feel better without it. But you know what? Alcohol isn't good for you. And I like whiskey. So I drink it sometimes. Got a problem with it? Doesn't matter....because I don't. So if you don't feel that sugar is a problem for you, and it brings you joy, have it sometimes. It probably won't be the thing that kills you....

I guess you have to make up your mind about *why* you want to give up these things. I don't think giving them up is a "magical" weight loss formula. Most people who chose to radically change their diet by giving up x food (sugar, bread, meat, whatever), successfully, do so because, as other posters have said, it makes them feel better in other ways. And conversely, people who don't stick to the changes usually say they felt worse, never got the promised results, and felt better eating differently. So again, I think only you are going to be able to answer this question for yourself.

Amberwind

I also have a problem with having a HUGE sweet tooth, and while I'm still struggling to reduce my sugar intake, I've discovered that if I force myself to linger over the treat, a smaller portion is more satisfying. For example: When I eat Hershey's Kisses, I unwrap it, inhale the aroma, and once I put it in my mouth I suck on it like it's a hard candy rather than chewing. A single piece lasts for a couple of minutes that way, especially if it's cold out of the fridge, and I get the flavor and usually only wind up eating one or two pieces and my sweet tooth is appeased.

Of course, I've only been doing this a couple weeks, so we'll see how I cope long-term.

Zara11

Can you keep your weak-foods around the house in small amounts?
Also.... might sound lame, but put a post-it note or something where you keep the foods you binge on.

How long has it been going on? i binged on chocolate for a bit, and now i'm totally sick of it and can't deal with more than a piece or two a day.

pyro13g

should I just not eat anything bready or consisting of sugar and just be a snobby monster for a month until I do not crave them any longer??

Yes

lilmissy2

Part of changing your lifestyle is very much about changing the way you think about food and your eating behaviours. I agree with everyone that has said moderation is the key but of course we all know that is not always easy to achieve.

Sometimes, one of the best things you can do for yourself is to consciously work on not feeling so much guilt over eating these foods. Plan your day including some of these foods that you love, which should help with the cravings. But, in the times that you may have a bit extra, try to stop seeing yourself as 'weak' etc, acknowledge it as a treat, log it if possible and move on. Generally having a few extra treats is not what makes us gain weight, it's the guilt we feel which then leads to a feeling of a 'ruined day' or 'ruined week' which ultimately leads to a binge.

Good luck

kateslife

One of the best tricks I learned for sweets is dark chocolate. Dark chocolate is the real deal and is a lot healthier for you. It has antioxidants in it. Of course this doesn't mean stuff your face with them, but if you have a tremendous craving try getting a small piece of dark chocolate each day.

kwardklinck

No, don't deny yourself what you want. You just have to learn to balance your diet and work these things in. I had a Nutrageous bar on Valentine's day. I don't eat chocolate every day though. I think that would be bad for my willpower.

AnnaPixie

I dont eat milk chocolate any more. But I eat a 2 finger dark choc kit kat every day - 106 cals :bigsmile: It seems to satisfy my sweet tooth and make me happy

karissastephens

Try non-fat chocolate pudding with fresh strawberries and light whip for your chocolate cravings. It's so good and not that evil of a treat. I also like those Skinny Cow ice cream sandwiches... YUM!

BTW, I love chocolate too and I am having a hard time as well!

Good luck,

Kari :flowerforyou:

Yummm!! I will!

karissastephens

Cutting out/down on carbs in my opinion, is a big no-no - especially if you are exercising. I would reccomend reading the book "Eat Your Way to Happiness" by Elizabeth Somer. This book focuses (as its title suggests) on foods relationship to your mood/cravings. She also has another book called Food & Mood. I tried summarizing some of the carb info - but it was just too long.

In short, your body needs carbohydrates - just make sure you are choosing the right ones. Choose whole grains and avoid added sugar as much as you can. However, I have found that it is best not to make any food "off limits." If you allow yourself treats, you will be less tempted to binge. Believe it or not, I used to drink up to 3 sodas a day!! This was over a year ago, and the thought disgusts me. I thought I would never be able to stop. I cut back gradually and limited myself to one once a day. Eventually, I found I could go a few days without one. Now? I go for many months at a time! I still allow myself the occasional Coke though.

If you DO go overboard, just remember that you can start right back up again! Cutting out added sugar is hard - I am struggling with it as well. But if you eat the right things most of the time - that is half the battle! I would also second dark chocolate - buy the best quality you can afford. I like the individually wrapped squares because they stop me from eating the whole bar!

Check out this link (it's a PDF file): nutrition.mednet.ucla.edu/.../Carbohydrates_are_Good_for_U.pdf

Thanks for the link I enjoyed reading it!